For a lot of us, it is hard to resist checking your phone while driving to keep a tab on all the notifications. However, time and again, phones have been a major reason for accidents because the driver was not paying attention on road. Somehow, tech giant Apple has been at the receiving end of this issue, since it would not stop its users from using the iPhone when driving. Trying to combat the same, Apple Inc has now created a new feature for the upcoming iOS 11 update called 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' (DNDWD).
It's obvious that you should not be looking at your phone when driving and the new safety feature will ensure you do exactly that. When activated, DNDWD will ensure that your screen looks blank and all those notifications, alerts, messages and calls are avoided altogether. The software uses Bluetooth or WiFi doppler effect to determine how quickly you're moving, to determine if you're driving or not.
If you still try to see your phone screen in motion, it will remain blank thanks to this feature. Should you want to use your phone, you will have to pull over.
The feature thankfully, does not disconnect you with the world completely when driving. The feature auto-replies to texts with a message saying that you're driving. There is also an option to list certain contacts, who will have the option to text back as "urgent" to display their text regardless if Do Not Disturb While Driving is running. For car's that do not get Apple CarPlay yet, this feature is Apple's attempt to keep things safe.
But, what if you are the passenger? Apple says the feature can be turned off by saying you're a passenger on the phone. That also happens to be the loop hole in the tech giant's otherwise safety feature, considering many drivers too could opt for selecting the same.
That said, using your phone while driving is a life threatening risk, not only for the driver but also everyone on road. Ideally, it is something that you should naturally avoid, but such are the times we live in that we need an app to tell us this.
